Lamborghini Aventador S 2017 Track Review

Fit for purpose
Low-speed car park simulations are not typical of Lamborghini launches. Ditto any talk of turning circles, softer gear changes or user-friendly driving modes.

All of this is especially foreign when a V12-powered raging bull is the vehicle in discussion; the Aventador halo car, no less.

However, the Aventador S, launched by Lamborghini at Phillip Island this week, may well be an exception. It is a vehicle that purportedly subscribes to a wider skill set while also boasting more speed and agility than before.

Applied to the ageing Aventador platform that has stayed largely unchanged since the vehicle’s introduction in 2011, the S designates improved performance with the introduction of four-wheel steering, more efficient aero and added predictability at the limit.

More than that, the car’s raw-edged performance has also been made more accessible to every day punters, courtesy of a slightly softer demeanour brought about by the latest changes.

For one, the four-wheel steering enables a tighter turning circle at car park speeds, and the gear changes are supposed to be smoother in daily conveyance. We’ll get to that in a sec.

The Aventador’s naturally-aspirated 6.5-litre V12 engine has also had power ratcheted to 544kW (up 30kW) while torque remains the same at a tyre-churning 690Nm. The mid-life fillip follows in the wheel tracks of legendary cars like the Countach and Muira, which both received ‘S’ designation at some point in their lifecycles.

“S just means that it’s better,” Lamborghini Asia Pacific chief Andrea Balti explains very matter-of-factly this week. This is just before the Bologna-native goes on to declare that Lamborghini “has re-defined perfection” with its latest updates, detailing the ‘four masterpieces’ of the car. Believe the hype, apparently.

The Aventador may mean a lot of things to the Lamborghini fold, but the fact is that it isn’t the fastest Raging Bull on track. That title now rests with the smaller, V10-powered Huracan Performante, a vehicle that costs half the price the of the Aventador S and now holds the Nurburgring Nordschleife lap record.

Having said that, the V12 incumbent is hardly a slouch. It launches the Aventador S to 100km/h in 2.9 seconds, 200km/h in 8.8 seconds and onwards to a top speed of 350km/h.

An active rear wing which can be deployed in three positions combines with new underbody vortex generators to provide a reduction in drag and a 130 per cent increase in downforce. The added high-speed ability only enhances the car’s performance on track.

First impressions last
Climbing through the carbon-fibre monocoque chassis and into the low-slung cabin, you are presented with the first (and one of the only) Lamborghini-isms of the Aventador: its high-set driver’s seat.

The perched chair’s proximity to the roof is a small blight on an otherwise polished cabin – one that has been finessed under Audi’s parent ownership of the Lamborghini brand.

The Aventador’s jet-fighter-inspired starter switch and various centre fascia switchgear presents cleanly, working in concert with the centre touchscreen and matching digital instrument cluster.

The cabin is cosy and a little Starship Command centre, and other than 140-litre ‘frunk’ there is virtually no incidental storage. However, the attention soon shifts to the on-road action.

The first exercise of the day is a car park simulation, a short drill that reinforces the effectiveness of the car’s four-wheel steering function.

At low speeds, the system turns the rear wheels up to three degrees in the opposite direction to the front, enabling a tighter turning circle, increased agility and more direct steering ratio. The system works, effectively paring back the vehicle’s 4.78-metre length to something more manageable.

The high-speed benefits of the system soon become evident out on the Phillip Island circuit. Once above 130km/h, the rear wheels turn in the same direction to the front wheels, affording increased stability, faster line changes and an optimised response.

The 4WS system proves a masterstroke on the Grand Prix circuit layout, invoking faster turning responses and creating a more user-friendly experience than the predecessor.

What’s more, Lamborghini has used the technology to help re-imagine other elements of the car, such as the tweaked pushrod suspension and all-wheel drive system.

Pièce de résistance
All of those changes pale against the real (and traditional) highlight of the Aventador: its cranky V12 engine.

Put simply, the engine’s rush to its 8500rpm rev ceiling is unlike any other supercar – or modern car engine, for that matter. It feels as though a cyclone is brewing, the angry tones strengthening at about 6000rpm before climbing with almost maniacal resolve to 8400rpm, where peak power is reached.

The matching soundtrack, enhanced with a new, louder exhaust, is mesmerising. It echoes ominously across the Phillip Island layout like cracks of thunder. The only thing that compares around this place is a MotoGP bike at full noise.

Less impressive is the Aventador S’ carry-over Independent Shift Rod (ISR) transmission, retained for “weight and packaging” reasons. The robotised manual unit is clunky and abrupt in its shifts and lacks the same speed and precision of newer dual-clutch units. This is despite tweaks from Lamborghini engineers aimed at making the seven-speed more rounded.

The Aventador impresses across the Phillip Island layout, even though we leave plenty in reserve to accommodate for rain and limited time.

In regular Strada (street) mode, the car feels suffocated, seemingly gasping for air between gear changes as the electronics keep the key controls heavily tempered. In the most aggressive Corsa setting, the car begins to move around, albeit briefly, shortly before our four laps of fun is over.

The powertrain adjustments also alter the AWD split front to rear: 40:60 (Strada); 20:80 (Corsa); and 10:90 (Sport). In each mode, the car works in concert with its revised Pirelli tyres (20 inch, 255/30 front and 21-inch, 355/30 rear) to create dependable levels of grip.

There’s no doubting colleague Feann’s initial impression from the global launch that the car has a penchant for going sideways, or that it is easier to gauge at what seems like the limit.

At Phillip Island, the car stops, turns and accelerates admirably given the conditions. Its clever all-wheel drive system keeps a steady handle on proceedings, while the added aero helps the car feel tied down to the track. Doubtless, the car’s new 4WS system only began to be realised in the wet conditions, making benign but precise adjustments to keep proceedings tidy.

Poster-worthy
Is the Aventador the best performing supercar of its era? Not so, thanks to a circa 1700kg kerb weight, large proportions and brutal drivetrain. There’s also the small factor of price, which would easily tip into seven figures with options.

But as for its importance contextually, the Aventador S may as well be considered a modern classic. As emissions standards increasingly dictate the advent of forced induction/alternative powertrains, the Lamborghini’s naturally-aspirated V12 seemingly celebrates the end of an era.

Here is a poster car of its generation; a chest-thumping ode to classic internal combustion.

2017 Lamborghini Aventador S pricing and specifications:
Price: $788,914 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 6.5-litre V12 petrol
Output: 544kW/690Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed robotised manual
Fuel: 16.9L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 394g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: N/A

Also consider:
>> Ferrari F12 Berlinetta (from $690,745 plus ORCs)
>> McLaren 675 LT (from $616,250 plus ORCs)
>> Mercedes-AMG S 65 Coupe (from $501,715 plus ORCs)